By Jacque Day
Murray, KY – Last night Murray officials once again opened the city's budget discussion to regular citizens. Dozens of people turned out to the Old Post Office in downtown Murray for an overview of the city's Comprehensive Revenue Study. A major point of discussion: how to close the gap on a projected General Fund shortfall of $1 to $2 million dollars per year, over the next five years.
The discussion included the possibility of enacting a payroll tax as a more efficient revenue generator than the city vehicle sticker system. While by ordinance city stickers are required for anyone working or living in the city of Murray (except those Murray State students neither working in or living permanently in Murray) city officials can only track vehicles currently registered inside the city registered to residents of the city of Murray. This is Murray resident MaryAnne Medlock.
"I've lived in four different cities in my life. This is the first city that I have lived in that didn't have a payroll tax. So, maybe there's a way to exchange the difference between the city sticker and payroll tax. Which is going to be easier to enforce, and which is going to be better for the city?"
They city's records reflect about 13,500 vehicle stickers sold in Murray each year. City finance director Alan Lanier says that roughly 60 percent of the people who work in the city come from outside of the city borders.